The Reincarnation
by Ming-Xia
Summary: Fifty years after Meteor and everything is peaceful...or is it?
1. Speculation

The Reincarnation 

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**Part1 – Chapter 1 - Speculation******

The effect of one man and Meteor had transcended into a distant memory fifty years on and there was nothing seriously wrong with the world anymore. Everything was peaceful, apart from the few injustices caused that needed no more than a firm slap on the wrist and a finger waved in the face to rectify. The past dreams of world peace seemed to be consolidating into one, more realistic, future.  With all this happening, it was enough to make one think about the not-so-mysterious-anymore world that they occupy and what it was all coming to.

In short—life was boring...

_"Do you really think that this whole ordeal is over?"_

_"I honestly don't know. It seems too good to be true really."_

                The cynical voices of the world were all converging and planning to find out what was really happening. It was like a spell had been cast over the world to behave in a less-futile way than normal—no one knew what normal was anymore; but they just assumed that it was different than what it was at the time—Not many people had this view, yet the few that did had strong enough opinions to compare to, and overthrow hundreds more people thinking the opposite if they needed to. The law-enforcement in the world didn't like the thoughts of these people, arousing more suspicion as to something going on; and one man was about to find out why, and what it was...

~oO0Oo~

                The darkness of the cold winters was slowly creeping in as the wind settled on the quaint town of Icicle Inn. The temperature dropped and the skies cleared to display a myriad of stars, shimmering in the distance—a sight not to be missed by the naked eye as to be losing out you didn't see it yourself—Dr. Jules Sephier was one of those cynical people, who also didn't like 'no' as an answer and he kept studying what happened after the Lifestream destroyed Meteor fifty years previous. Was there such a place as the promise lands? He also tried to figure out how the Lifestream did what it did.

_Report 11th November 2057._

                Things that I have yet to have found out are driving me to complete my research earlier than I had planned. I have also had a call from my colleague at the Northern Crater saying that today they have found a strange object that seems to be "Evolved Materia" as they put it. I am intrigued by this find and am planning on travelling there myself. I need to get out anyway; I've practically been staring at the same four walls for little over a year now and it is getting a tad tiresome. Could this be what I have been looking for? I have my doubts but the strength of the speculation surrounding this object is hard not to believe in...

                His colleague was a relation to the famous researcher of the depleted Shinra Co. Research department. A relation of Hojo. It was hard to trust a man with such a reputation for being sly and a bad family history, but Dr. Sephier wasn't the sort of character to judge people by their history since, 'that was in the past and there it should stay,' like he always said—the funny thing was, that totally contradicted his work; researching the past fifty years and bringing it to the future, but he didn't like to be criticized when it came to work—There was always some method in his madness and everyone seemed to agree with what he said, regardless of what their personal thoughts were. Bernard Jones, Sephier's assistant was a 27 year old, shy and subdued fellow with the physical characteristics that could make him almost identical to Hojo if it wasn't for the innocent eyes. Those deep, ice blue eyes could pierce deep into your soul if you'd let them, yet be the most comforting thing if they were caught looking at you. His temperament was different from Hojo's, more...dormant, but the arrogance and greed still lay within the depths of his soul which was something he made an ambition to diminish before he got any older—a keen follower to Sephier—as Hojo was to Gast, a proud man and a man to be proud of.

                "Excuse me, Dr. Sephier? There is someone on the phone to speak with you." A tall, almost lanky woman stepped into the room and walked with a cocky hint into Dr. Sephier's office and placed the phone on his desk. 

                "They say it's about the E-M, whatever that may be..." Dr. Sephier looked up and looked at his makeshift receptionist. 

                "Thank you, Tina. That will be all." A disgusted look appeared on Tina's face, as she seemed to peer right through him. "You make it sound so formal. I'm not your slave" She scowled and walks off.

                "'Tis a shame Tina...'tis a shame." He smirked and picks up the phone

                "Hello, Doctor Jules Sephier speaking."

                "Jules, you old goat! Still chatting up that Tina, eh?" A smile rose upon his face, "Hey there Trevor! I'm not that old! I'm just 35 years young, you know that."

                "Whatever...anyway, it's not all good news I've got to tell you, well the majority of it isn't anyway." Dr. Sephier felt as if he knew what was coming yet he was anxious as to hear if his predictions were right. "We have some bad news, and some good news as always. I'm gonna start with the bad news since that is the most important." Sephier's heart sunk into his stomach, as he knew that this was something bad had to have happened for Trevor to have such a serious tone in his voice.

                "Six of the researchers have..."

                _This can't be! How can something like this happen?_

                "...Been killed..."

                The words seemed to be lodged in his throat prolonging their impact.

                "...And the Materia is missing."

                _I knew this would happen—nothing was going to stop the inevitable from happening—Sooner or later something was going to go wrong since this was no ordinary materia. I didn't know what it was that was going on, but all I knew was that it wasn't good._


	2. Conclusions

The Reincarnation 

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Part 1 – Chapter 2 – Conclusions 

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                Slowly and panic stricken, Dr. Sephier returned the telephone to Tina's desk and mindlessly walked into the bathroom. He rested his hands on the side of the sink and his knuckles went white as he clasped the edge. He filled a glass with tap water and held it up to eye level. The faint blue tint of the glass cast a light-aqua tinge on the doctor's hand as he raised it to the small window in the room.

 When had he felt so guilty? 

 So alone?

 As he focused into the mirror, he caught the reflection of Tina standing behind him—not that he took much notice—Fear trailed through his head like the trains that once travelled his old home; Midgar. As the adrenalin coursed through his veins, he looked at the shambles of a figure leering at him in the mirror, watching his every move and mimicking every placid facial expression. The man in the mirror, the leering freak, was the man he had brought himself to despise—the only hatred he felt for anything was directed at himself.

                "Are...are you ok, Jules?" The innocent face. The calming eyes. He loved her, he really did, but he had no tie for miniscule relationships no matter how much he longed for one. Tina stood in the doorway and placed a firm, yet gently hand on Dr. Sephier's shoulder. "It was that phone call, wasn't it..." She moved closer and looked him in the eyes—those icy eyes. The only way she could get to him was through those eyes, the window to his inner soul..."What happened?" Her calm voice snapped Dr. Sephier back to the harsh reality of the situation.

                "I killed them..." The words stumbled off his lips like they were dying to seek freedom and escape from his throat. "I killed them all, it's all my fault Tina!" He gazed into Tina's tiger-like eyes and his voice lowered. "It's all my fault..." His eyes dropped as he looked at his feet in disgust. He sighed. "If I hadn't told those poor kids to search for that object, this wouldn't have happened at all." Tina looked at the doctor in sheer amazement because she had never seen him so out of character before and frankly, it was scary to think of her life-long friend to be a murderer. She shook the thoughts out of her head and got back to the task in hand. Finding out what happened.

~oO0Oo~

                After the tedious hours of explaining and sharing of information, silence crept over Icicle Inn as the sun began to rise. The crisp white snow glimmered in the serene light of the new morning and it was a picturesque view of tranquillity. The muted light of the candles in the room depleted as a draft swept through the room diminishing the candle's light one, by one.  An eerie chill enveloped the room as the sunlight from the sunrise seeped through the bathroom window illuminating a small section of paperwork on Tina's desk. Dr. Sephier steadily got to his feet and walked over to the solitary pile of pamphlets on the desk. Filing through them slowly, he found a letter addressed to him. As he scanned the page for whom it was from, he slowly raised his eyes to meet Tina's gaze. 

                "Tina, why didn't you tell me that you had received this letter for me?"  It was an analysis report from the Nibelheim Scientific 'cynical movement' as people referred to them as. He laid his hand down on the table and placed the paper beside it. Balancing his glasses on the tip of his nose he began to read. Tina inspected the papers and announced, "Jules, these papers weren't here before, well I didn't put them there. No one has visited today either. Come to think of it, we haven't left this building at all in the past three days!" Dr. Sephier looked at Tina in astonishment. 

                "Three days?! Surely it hasn't been that long since I went out!" 

 Tina ran the back of her hand over the doctor's face to prove her point, "You haven't shaved either." She smiled. A grin crept over the doctor's face as he carried on reading the letter...

Doctor J. Sephier 

_Icicle Inn_

_Northern Continent_

_12th November 2057_

_3:25am_

                "The funny thing is, that the letter was dated for today."  Dr. Sephier looked at the clock, "...and timed for an hour ago..." He shook his wrist in disbelief and looked at his watch repeatedly, not believing what the hands were telling him. 

                "I'm sure it was just a mistake." Tina's eyes scanned the time and date over and over again as the doctor carried on reading the report.

_Dear Dr. Sephier,_

_Thank you for using our services to aid you in your own research. Here we have included the results from the biopsy on the sample you sent to us, and a possible conclusion to as and why these results may have occurred._

                The rest of the letter became a blur as he quickly scanned through the figure apart from a few key sentences...

_                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The sample you provided has biological properties~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Further analysis is needed to determine the exact origin and if there are any signs of an organic life-form~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_                Yours Sincerely_

_            Professor James Hobson _

_            N.S.R.L_

_           (Nibelheim Scientific Research Laboratory)_

                Dr. Sephier ran his hand over the stubble that had accumulated on his chin and cheeks and stood there thinking there was nothing else to do apart from think and ponder about the facts and information over and over again...

~oO0Oo~

                _Report 12th November 2057_

_Six people have been killed at the research site at the Northern Crater and I can't help but to blame myself for the unfortunate accident. I asked them out there in the first place. The test results are back from N.S.R.L and the E-M has 'biological' properties, which was my primary hypothesis and expectations for the object. Such a small amount of the E-M was hard to study, but they managed it._

_                I know that this materia is more powerful than any other materia in know existence, so I will handle it with the up most of care. The main problem at the site is that when the six people were killed, the materia disappeared so I am not going to put any limitations on the capability of this 'object' until further study is conducted once it is recovered. I should really refer to it as a specimen since I have this daft conclusion that it is a sentient being. I'm working my way out to the site myself to see what is going on, I don't want any more trouble to be caused than is necessary. I'm not too sure what this could mean but it could stem to the problem of the world being 'too' perfect.  _

                "Tina, look after the house while I'm gone..." Tina looked up at the doctor with a puzzled look spread on her face. The doctor's eyes didn't seem so innocent and calm anymore, a storm was brewing in their icy blue waters. "I'm going to see what the hell is going on for myself."


	3. Coincidence

The Reincarnation Part 1 – Chapter 3 – Coincidence 

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The temperature in the mountains had dropped to well below zero and the fractional movement in the air current stirred up the newly born, fluffy snowflakes that lay loosely on the ground. The roads and footpaths were engulfed in snowdrifts and you could barely see your hand in front of your face for the fog. This was what was to be expected in the middle of November. The air was fresh and damp yet everything seemed cheerful. Dr. Sephier had tried to conquer these mountains before and had failed so he was just a little pessimistic of getting through in one piece and arriving at his destination. Who would've known that something so beautiful could be so deadly.

                The harsh conditions, however, were no match for the sheer determination of Dr. Sephier to see what was going on at the research site in the Crater, as he traced the road up to the mountains with a twinkle of success in his eyes. The 'specimen' they found in the Crater was the object that Dr. Sephier had wanted to study for years and he wasn't going to let a bit of bad weather part him from his dream. It was all of a sudden that the fog cleared and the snow stopped falling as coarsely as it previously had been doing and Dr. Sephier stopped the car and got out. He could see his breath as he sighed happily at the view he could see from the mountain; as if the bad weather he had just come through was non-existent. He blew into his cupped hands, rubbed them together, and then revelled in the delight that the warmth of his breath gave to his fingertips. He couldn't help but to think of the six people who were killed. He recalled that in the phone call.

"...No determined cause of death..." he muttered to himself as he reached out to clamber back into his car. The icy glow on the road matched the icy glow in Dr. Sephier's heart apart from one minor difference. Sephier's eyes; they were burning with enthusiasm. The smile dropped from his face as he carried on travelling.

                The roads were narrow leading to the site but Dr. Sephier was so transfixed on the thought of making his dream a reality, he honestly didn't care. As he pulled up to the gates of the compound the guard was asleep in his keep with a slightly steaming, luke-warm cup of coffee by his hand so that indicated that he hadn't been asleep for long. The doctor gave a friendly peep on his car horn that startled the guard to wake from his slumber—he pondered how anyone could sleep in this weather in the first place, it made you wonder how much these people got overworked to be sleeping on the job—As the barrier to the compound slowly reclined into its holster, the doctor pulled up and parked his vehicle in the middle of the vast space that stood before him. The temperature had dropped again slightly from the start of his trek, but it was nothing to worry about. The doctor stumbled out of his car and wondered over to the hut situated on the west wall of the fortress-like structure—it needed to be a fortress with what went on within the walls—As he breathed erratically because of the cold, small ice particles accumulated on the stubble that he had yet to shave. That was just to show how cold it could get in this region of the world. He stepped inside the hut and the waves of comforting heat were welcomed on his face. He hastily stepped inside as not to let the warm air out and the bitterly cold air back inside.

~oO0Oo~

                "I'm glad you could make it sir..." Bernard—his trusted assistant and noble friend stood there with a glimmer of hope as his mentor strode in through the door. A smile crept upon the doctor's ace and this was the first genuine 'relief' smile he had made in the past week. 

"...Dr. Sephier...sir." A new recruit stood up sheepishly from the corner and hesitantly spoke. "We have reason to believe that the E-M maybe gone for good, it is nowhere to be found. Sir." She cowered back onto her chair and carried on filing the paper that was sprawled all over her desk.

                "Thank you, Miss...?" He gave the girl a vacant look and waited patiently for her to fill in the missing pieces of information.

"Calder, Miss Alicia Calder." She grinned at the doctor and a twinkle of trust showed in her eyes—_Calder_...that name was familiar to Sephier, yet he had no recollection as to where from, only that is was a familiar sound to his ears. 

"Happy to meet you Alicia, just call me...Doctor." Bernard was the only on to incorporate the 'Sir' into the equation as if there was something bestowed on the doctor by him, and him only. It was mainly down to the respect that the one man had for this individual and he guessed that it wouldn't hurt to show his gratitude in how he spoke.

                "Listen up, all of you," Dr. Sephier's words radiated through the hut as the serious tone in his voice had a sharp edge to it that got the information to where it was needed. "The specimen has yet to be recovered and I am afraid for its safety, the harsh weather may cause damage to the outer layers of the materia, leaving the more weaker, condensed layers vulnerable..." His knowledge of the situation shined brightly and showed up in his words as the gaze of all the people in the room fell upon him. Bernard was the one to reply to this statement—he was always the one to speculate everything he heard ranging from this situating to the incident two weeks previous where the team thought up the idea of the materia existing—Not only was Bernard a scientist, he was also a gifted logical thinker and incorporating his ways of thinking into some of the hypothesis's he whipped up—A double-sided sword was the best analogy to what he did; taking pride in his scientific work and making everything identical to his other work so it could be just as good.

                "Sir, you are talking about the specimen as if it was a life form when it is no more than an inanimate object." The doctor grinned and replied to his colleague's notable observation skills.

                "You see, the thing is...it is most possibly a life form, a clever one at that." Sephier reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out the tatty letter from the N.S.R.L—threadbare because he had read it so many times trying to fathom out what it all meant—As he handed it around, the spirit in the room lifted and the emotional atmosphere in the room was no longer as tense. Excitement beamed from all the scientists as they ran their eyes over the writing on the letter. It was amazing that a single piece of paper was to bring such enlightenment to a group of people such as this. Bernard was the first to speak up as always.

                "Hoax." He spat out the word as if what was on the letter was a taboo. "This is nothing but a hoax."  Dr. Sephier raised his eyebrow at the statement from his assistant. He opened his eyes wide to the expression on Bernard's face. It was a menacing grimace that shook the doctor's soul as he gave him the cold shoulder.

                "I can assure you Bernard, it is genuine. Does the look on my face make you assume that I would lie to you all?" He looked at Bernard in amazement because he didn't believe it was real. "This was on my desk last night and is what prompted me to come out here today."

                "I'm sorry sir, the reason I thought it was fake..." He lifted his sinewy hand and pointed to the date and time. "Look." Dr. Sephier knew what was there but he was still curious as to what point Bernard was about to make.

                _Doctor J. Sephier_

_                Icicle Inn_

_Northern Continent_

_                11th November 2057_

_                12:25pm_

                The doctor's mouth open in awe as he saw that the date had changed from the paper he held in very hands the night before. A shudder ran down his spine and sent a wave of speculation for the first time into his body. "Sir, the reason I was shocked about this letter is that it is timed for thirty-five minutes before we found the specimen." Sephier ran his hands over the report on the find and nodded his head in hesitant agreement. The wiped the cold sweat from his brow with the back of his sleeve and raised his head to address the rest of the group.

                "Putting this event aside, lets just assume that this analysis is true for it is the best explanation we have to the events that have happened over the last two days." Everybody mumbled a slight sentence each, that agreed with the doctor's assumptions. 

                "I am not going to handle this lightly and there is a very high risk of this being a dangerous operation to find, and recover the specimen. If you like to, you can leave now, not be a part of the operation and leave us to it. If you think you are brave enough…Sorry, if you _know_ you are brave enough, please stay." Dr. Sephier looked around the room for the slightest sign of movement between the students. They just stood there. Like an army ready for battle, knowing that it wasn't going to be all peaceful and bad things are going to happen. They were the troops; Dr. Sephier was the sergeant.  

                "First off, lets put all the pieces together and see what information we have on the specimen." Some of the students stirred in their seats until finally, one youngster rose a hand and started to speak as soon as Sephier's gaze fell upon him.

                "The specimen was found in the northern section buried 6 ft under several sedimentary layers indicating that it had been there for at least 50 years..." His eyes quickly darted through the papers that were trembling in his hands. "There were traces of organic matter around the subject of unknown origin." The words struck Bernard as soon as he heard them. He stood up from his chair and walked over to the student. 

                "Why didn't you tell me about this boy?!" His raised voice struck fear into the student as he looked, shocked, at his teacher. 

                "That's enough Jones!" Sephier intervened and pushed Bernard aside. "That is no way to treat your students. You never saw me shouting at you in such a manner." Bernard looked at his mentor with an apologetic face, hoping that the doctor would soon forget about his recent actions. Dr. Sephier spoke in a polite manner to the young man, which lifted his fear slightly so he could speak. "Why wasn't this reported?"

                "Well…um, sir...um" The words were stuck in his throat and somehow he had to dislodge them. "Sir...um, I didn't report then because, um, I didn't think there was enough, erm...evidence of the substance to support an inquiry into what it was."

                "I can see your point son." Dr. Sephier's tone lightened in his voice as he carried on his questioning. "I do think that what you did would've solved a lot of problems by overlooking something that might be a waste of time if further investigated." A hint of a smile was showing upon the students face. "But don't do it again." The doctor smirked and the student's hopes of doing something good were shattered. Sephier left the room with Bernard closely behind. Sephier had gained a new shadow.

~oO0Oo~

                The doctor slowly advanced towards the reference library on site and placed his hand on the door handle. The air was still cold outside but the blizzard had stopped and sunbeams highlighted the neat snow across the compound floor. He raised his other hand and placed it onto his assistant's shoulders.

                "You know as well as I do, because you're a logical man, that this is something that could turn out nasty." Bernard's icy blue eyes peered into the doctor's soul and it seemed that they demanded an explanation to what was going on. Somehow, Bernard knew that something strange was coming. "After everything we have been through together, can I trust you to keep the information you are about to see a secret?"

                "Of course you can do, Sir." It was if a light was shining out of Bernard's face. He had obviously never been told to keep a secret before; it made him feel special. 

                "Good." Sephier opened the door and walked in, shaking the snow off his boots. He took them off and placed them by the door as not to saturate the floor of the hut with water once the snow had melted. Bernard closed the door behind him and did the same. He walked over to where Sephier was busy analysing a book entitled 'World History,' sat down beside him and smiled. He felt so privileged to help a great scientist with his studies yet he didn't feel the slightest bit nervous—he probably had got used to the aspect of working with Sephier since he had practically grown up with him and his work surrounding his life in one way or another—Dr. Sephier flicked through the pages and stopped suddenly at the section about 'Meteor and Sephiroth.'

                "Bernard, what I tell you now is not to be mentioned to anyone until we have something concrete to work with, do you understand?" Bernard looked up at the man he was sitting beside and dipped his head in acknowledgement and listened with a respectful ear to what the doctor had to say.

                "When Sephiroth was defeated, his remains were never found and the shell of the crater caved in burying everything with it. Everyone knows that Sephiroth summoned Meteor with the divine powers of the Black Materia as he 'merged' with it, so to speak. Since Sephiroth's remains weren't found after the incident—mainly because people didn't dare go near to the crater and excavate it—neither was the Black Materia. Neither of them were recovered or even looked for. I have come to the conclusion, over many months of thinking, that the Black Materia was the object we were looking for, hence it was the 'specimen' we found yesterday." Bernard froze with the information and was on the verge of passing out.

                "So what you mean is, we have found The Black Materia?" His eyes widened which made them look rather garish behind his jam-jar glasses. 

                "Yes." Sephier paused for a good two minutes before he carried on as if to place an intentional suspense aura in the room. "Not just the Black Materia, but what was left behind with it..." 

Bernard took shallow breaths and muttered a single word under his breath, yet loud enough for the person sitting next to him to hear if they were paying attention, which Sephier was... "Sephiroth..." and stared at the doctor—this was nothing like before; the stare wasn't of disbelief, but of complete and utter desperation: desperation to find out more...


	4. Conspiracy

The Reincarnation Chapter 1 – Part 4 – Conspiracy 

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Dr. Sephier casually raised his finger to his lips and made a subtle 'shhh' to indicate the secrecy of the information he had just handed out to Bernard. The candles gave off a reminiscent glow that just barely managed to fill the room. There was an unsettled silence in the hut as the information from the book was compiled into a few notes on a sheet of paper—there wasn't much to gather, but what there was to gather was of great importance to these two men and eventually the world—Bernard, this time, was not the one to break the unrestful atmosphere.

        "Bernard..." The name ricocheted around the room. "I need you to figure out where the materia could've gone to."

        "Well..." he replied, "If it is what you say it is, a living being, then primary instincts…" _it's an animal, I must remember that, _"…Would be to return to its birthplace for shelter..." The doctor placed his hand in the air as a friendly gesture to contribute to the last statement. 

"...And since it isn't fully evolved yet, that is the first place it would go."—_Evolved_; a term used too lightly in this case. The materia was more than just evolved, it was advanced in such a way that a single, inanimate object, was alive and had the potential of such chaos even though it wasn't aware of it as yet—but like every living thing, it had to grow up; and a hastily pace at that. It was hard to fathom exactly what was going on, but they were determined to find out. 

~oO0Oo~

        Sephier stood up out of his chair holding the book from which he had just been working. All of a sudden there was a loud, unmistaken bang and the book was seen banging on the floor. Clasping his forehead, the doctor propped himself on the desk. _What just happened? What is wrong?_ He looked up to see Bernard scrambling around on the floor picking up the fallen book, trying to dismiss that there could be something wrong with Sephier who seemed so perfect in his eyes. _You don't have to do that._ "Thank you, Bernard." He gently took the book out of Bernard's hand and returned it to the shelf from whence it came.

        "Sir, do you feel alright?" The young man spoke with a hesitant stammer in his voice. 

        "Yes...I," He rubbed his forehead once again, "I'll be fine, just haven't had much sleep lately." Sephier backed in to a chair, projecting it across the floor. "That's all."

        "Sir." At this time he looked at the doctor, puzzled. "Sir..." advancing towards the doctor, he held out his hand. Dr. Sephier's head spun and Bernard's words were no more than a humble buzz surrounding his ears as he went into a sudden daze. Sweat poured from his brow as he frantically waltzed around the hut. Shivering with cold, he blacked out and collapsed in a heap in the floor. 

"SIR!"

~oO0Oo~

        By the time he had got his bearings and come around, he was staring at a peaceful, white ceiling which placed a feeling of well-being in his heart—more of a comfort and reassurance to know that he wasn't dead—The air was filled with a clinical smell and he was situated opposite a small window at the far side of a long, echoing hall-like room. He was in hospital.

        "Nurse." Bernard was perched on the seat beside him—like a faithful lap dog. He didn't doubt that he had been sitting there for the entire time he had been in the hospital. By his side. _A few hours. A few hours tops, I've been unconscious for a few hours._ "Welcome back sir." Sephier opened his mouth greet the welcome back and to speak and nothing came out. "Don't speak sir..." _I can't speak_, "You need to conserve your energy..." _What happened? Why can't I speak? How long have I been here?_ "It's been a while..." _How long?_ The nurse walked in with an emotionless look on her face as she gave the doctor a haughty look-over and placed her clipboard next to his head. Sephier tried to turn his head to read the neighbouring clipboard and the records on the paper which might give him a few answers to his boundless questions, and he couldn't; he couldn't move at all. _Bernard, what is going on? Why am I asking Bernard? He can't read my thoughts _"They recovered the materia sir..." _Well at least there is some good news intertwined with this madness_. "...at the same time as you collapsed, too." _Wait, so soon? If they recovered it…how long have I been here? The date, what is the date? He looked blankly at Bernard since he couldn't possible manage to do anything else._ "...Three days sir, three days you have been here. They still don't' know what happened to you that night."

        "You heard me thinking?" In a split second, everything had changed. The doctor was sat up in bed and fully mobile. "What just happened?" _This can't be happening. Are you losing it Jules? No, can't be, I can remember it as clear as day._ "Thinking? Sir? You have been talking to me for the past four hours about what we have recovered." Bernard looked at the doctor. Sephier looked at Bernard—the continuous stare was foreboding as it lasted for at least five minutes—_This just isn't right_. "Are you ok Sir?" _I've just been in a coma and switched places in a few seconds, what do you think?_ "...Shall I get a nurse?" _A nurse won't help what's going on..._

        "I'll be fine, thank you, Bernard...don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Awashed with jumbled thoughts, Sephier looked through the window and stared at the fluffy masses of clouds that engulfed the crater and the secrets held within its fiery depths and tried to single out and piece together the recent events. They were nothing more than a blur and the twisted aftermath of the primary actions taken by Sephier were not ones to be cast aside and forgotten, yet Sephier could not recall anything apart from a name. A surname—one he had heard and remembered before—Calder; the name of the female student. Alicia Calder. Suddenly it came to him and the vivid recollection baffled him as to why he didn't remember it before. Calder—the author of the history book back in the library the he was reading—_I've got to get out of here._ "Bernard. Gather your stuff..." _this is going to be fun_ "...we're going!" Bernard pushed Sephier firmly back into his bed. 

"Jones!" Bernard held him down. 

"JONES!" Sephier tried to struggle free but to no avail since he was worn down by the medication trailing from the intricate, intravenous injections that lead to a mass of tubes and machinery. Sephier had never been into a hospital as a patient, not even when he was born was he confined to a clinical building as he was born at home following his mother's wishes.

        Something was going on and Bernard was no longer the conscientious man he used to know, but a cold-hearted, egotistical heathen. This didn't seem to be the same world as it was six days ago when the materia was first discovered, lying in a bed of rubble. Dr. Sephier had to read that book again—not out of choice, but a spontaneous urge to reach for the information contained within its pages—This wasn't just a scientific discovery and breakthrough anymore, it had turned into a full-scale investigation spanning an entire half-century—Sephier was the only person who fully understood the purpose of his own actions. He was the only being to have noticed the changes through the years—the only one to know that there was something wrong with the civilisation around him—Others were just followers of the 'cynical' movement that he seemed to be the founder of. They were just believers who had broken the bubble that society had conveniently placed them in and began to believe something that was different from what they had been taught yet not able to come up with something themselves; turning to the 'cynical' movement because it was something different, not that they actually knew what it was or what it stood for. They were just a new type of sheep that chose to believe something and got lead on from there. It couldn't be helped that people wanted something different so Sephier didn't bother, he just wanted the support, the backup if anything was to go wrong so he wasn't on his own.

        Meaninglessly bound to a bed in Icicle Inn Hospital, there was no way he could get out to return to the Crater Compound library anytime soon to fulfil his urges. The windowpanes reflected the winter sunlight, which pelted the heat towards Sephier—_the window, perfect escape route_—The nurse came trundling down the aisle that ran down the middles of the hospital ward and stood at the edge of the bed. _The nurses._ _I can't get out because of the nurses that are in my way._ The nurse casually strolled up to the side of Sephier's bed and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. _What is she doing? _With a cold hand on the doctor's arm, the other hand lifted up a cover on a tray that was situated below his legs under the bed and picked up a needle with some crystal-clear solution in it that sent an array of sunbeams reflected around the room—it almost looked pretty—With one flick of the syringe, she pierced Dr. Sephier's skin which sent a slight twinge of pain to Sephier's brain as she administered the sedative into the doctor's already-lifeless body. "This should keep you quiet." she smirked at the doctor and he returned the favour with a sly, yet bemused look on his face. _Thanks very much lady, ruined my plans..._ As the doctor waited patiently for the sedative to take effect, he got a little light headed and a wave of nausea entwined his stomach, but he didn't feel any weaker or tired; he just felt normal apart from a bit ill. The nurse walked off looking back several times to double-check on Sephier's progress. _The sedative isn't working; luck must be on my side today_. When the nurse realised the sedative wasn't taking effect on the doctor, she walked back in such a furiously, fast pace it looked more of a clumsy skip than a walk. _...I don't want her to give me anymore. I guess that if she did, it would put me out of my misery, but I wouldn't be able to escape._ The nurse was getting progressively closer to Dr. Sephier's bed. _How can I stop her?_ He looked around hastily for a solution to his dilemma. _If I'm already asleep, there will be no reason for her to pump some more of that...that stuff into me. _As the nurse grabbed the bar at the bottom of his bed with an almighty clunk, he sat back and closed his eyes. Taking deep breaths, he somehow managed to relax in the heat of the situation. _I just hope this works_. The nurse gave out a heavy sigh and walked away—Sephier couldn't distinguish the sigh between a sigh of relief; or a sigh of just being plain annoyed. Whichever it was; she was gone—As he listened to her clicking footsteps gradually fade as she continued along the marble floor, he slowly opened his eyes. _It worked. Three cheers for Jules_! Sephier looked across to his left. _Now to make sure he doesn't move..._ —There, still sat Bernard; and by the sound of his perpetual snoring, in deep slumber—He looked at the reclined man on the chair beside him then onto the window again. The sun was setting and lucky for him, the sun set earlier at this time of year so far north—the efflorescence of colours from the sunset was a sight to be seen. A myriad of reds, yellows and soothing bronzes. Sephier had watched many sunsets in his lifetime but this one seemed more special than all the others. Maybe it was because the sun was setting on this world he inhabited and was to rise again with new prospects and a whole new beginning. The main thing about the early sunset meant that Sephier had less time to think over his plans and flaw himself like he always seemed to do—he was never pleased with his work the first time round, he didn't trust himself enough to produce a perfect piece of work the first time he attempted it—He had less time to rethink his plan completely and get rid of the flaws like: When is he going to get up to the window? How is he going to manage it? Where is he going to after he has made his break for freedom? Well that one was pretty obvious, which would waste more of the little, precious time he had left. Since there was another three hours before the darkness of nightfall crept upon the village, he sat back once again and carried on staring at the window.

        Darkness stole the light in the hospital and Sephier looked at the empty chair beside him. Even though it wasn't the Bernard he knew that was there before and had now departed, he appreciated the company under any circumstances rather than being alone with only his thoughts and theories to keep him company, which had a repetitive nature. Bernard, or whoever it was, had an uncanny way of keeping you awake in the most lethargic of environments—a lot like a cold shower on a hot, humid summer afternoon that replenishes the life that had been diminished throughout the day by the driving heat of the sun—Dr. Sephier sat up, trying not to be noticed, and looked down the vacant corridor. He had taken the liberty to take the laborious task of timing the period between ward inspections. _It just goes to show the mistrust is still alive in the world, I guess that the source of the problem can't change people's personal opinions, just their train of thought. Society does the rest._ The third nurse of the five that do the rounds had just gone passed so the doctor had three minutes to make a break for freedom. There was an element of strategy in his madness since it wasn't a straight road to success. Here we go Sephier leapt from his bed with his bare feet slapping on the cold, hard marble floor. Never had he been so determined to accomplish something knowing it could get him further in his investigation. As he clambered onto the chair below the window that was luckily conveniently placed there earlier by one of the visitors to the ward, he slipped and the window in his hand swung back and hit its own frame. The glass shattered around him_. Just watch me get caught now..._The nurses rushed around the corner and leapt at the doctor, grabbing his lower-torso as it hung lifelessly from the window. Halfway through the window, Sephier shook his legs to try and avoid the consequences of getting caught by one of these butch-built women. An alarm sounded and wailed through the hospital that, fortunately, startled one of the nurses clinging to Dr. Sephier's lower-torso. Her grip loosened and he managed to break free from the nurse's grasp. Dr. Sephier clambered through the gap and the fresh air rushed through his hair, the coldness beat at his eyes and the snow gently embraced his feet; but he had no times to admire such pleasantries—he hardly had time to think; well apart from one thought that ran through his head constantly.

_        Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this?_

_        Why am I doing this?_ "Why am I doing this?"

        The reality of the situation hit him in the face like a brick wall and didn't fail to break his soul and hope. The alarms and sirens were blanked out by the realisation but he kept running. Lights from helicopters obscured his vision and kept track of his whereabouts; yet he still kept running not caring about what was happening. A loud bang was heard and he whipped his body around to look behind him, the world slowed, almost to a halt. The shot rang out across the vast landscape as a rifle in a soldier's hand exploded and sent a bullet careering towards Sephier. The Soldier was dressed in a familiar uniform. _Shinra..._The doctor turned fully to face his assassin only to have his chest punctured by the projecting bullet. As it tore through Sephier's flesh, the excruciating pain jolted through his body as he succumbed to the bullet's every whim. He had been shot, no doubt about it. _Why?_ He grabbed hold of the wound and wailed out in pain. _Why?_ Unable to keep a steady head, he collapsed on the floor. Lifeless. A crimson river lead from the sinewy, torn flesh and the snow was no longer a pure, innocent white; it was a crude, bloodshed crimson that wasn't pretty anymore. _Death isn't pretty. It's a fact of life, yes, but it still doesn't make it the slightest bit pretty_. Sephier couldn't take the strain anymore and closed his eyes to get what was coming to him. _Goodbye..._ Darkness came to the sunlight in his soul, but never to recede again in the morning, but to linger. It was here to stay. Sephier relaxed and fell unconscious, not able to take the pain anymore…he was one to never give up; but this time, he had no choice.

~oO0Oo~

        Dr. Sephier opened his eyes to see a familiar pair of eyes looking back at him. _Bernard?_ He recognised the cold, icy, yet comforting eyes. Sephier bolted upright and took a sharp glance over to Bernard who was kneeling by his right-hand side. _What happened? I'm not dead?_

"Sir?" Bernard inched forward to see if his mentor was okay. _I'm not dead. Where am I?_ Totally unaware of his colleagues concern, he took a mental note of his surroundings and it kicked in that he was back in the Crater Compound Library and Bernard was waving a book in his face to cool him down. The book. Not thinking anything of what just happened, he snatched the book straight out of Bernard's hands and slammed it down on the desk to start compiling notes again.

        "Excuse me sir...well..." _Not now Jones_, "You passed out cold sir..." _and?_ "Well...shouldn't you, um, sit down?" The tone in his voice was as if he was insisting rather than giving him the option of doing so.

        "Bernard...thank you for caring, but I only fainted..." _went in a coma, escaped from a prison rather than hospital, got shot and died_ "...it's nothing to worry about." Sephier managed to sneak a smile onto his face—genuine or not, it was still a smile. "I guess you're right..." Bernard replied sheepishly, "...sir."

        "There we go, wasn't so bad now was it?" Sephier gave his assistant a hardy pat on the back and decided not to tell him about his visions. _If I told him everything, he would think I was mad._ Bernard smiled back and made his way over to the other side of the room.

        "Sir...I just though I should let you know..." the doctor sharply turned on his heel and addressed Bernard willing him to carry on, "...in the half an hour you were out cold, they found the materia..." _They did? I mean..._

        "They did?" Dr. Sephier's face shone with excitement as he asked, "Who did?" anxiously waiting for a reply he sat down and tried to control himself. 

        "Calder, Alicia Calder. The new student sir..." _it wasn't the book after all, it was...her._


	5. Connections

The Reincarnation Part 1 – Chapter 5 – Connections 

  
For two night after Sephier had fainted in the compound library, he had recollections of his visions and relived them over, and over in his dreams. Hour of restless tossing and turning between the crisp sheets of the bed that had been allocated to him by the compound manager. The dorms were small, as they only needed to accommodate a few individuals at a time. It made it more homely in Sephier's eyes, which was something that couldn't be reckoned with. Everytime he relived his dramatic interlude, there was something that wasn't right; something out of place, and each time he remembered just a fraction more of what he willed to forget. When he clumsily fell out of the window, the few moments of bliss; the few minutes where he felt what it was to be free, were hiding something important. There was a shady figure standing, peering over him on the horizon. The silhouette just stood there. A well-built man with tatty clothes and a strong posture looking like he knew what was going on and wanted it to continue. Thoughts balanced in Sephier's mind as to who this could be and why he was there. This man was a rose in a bed of thorns—more like a thorn in a bed of roses; there was an evil aura surrounding the space that his body occupied—_a warning maybe._ He had to be some sort of a connection to what was going on. Then there was the female student, Alicia Calder, why was her surname in the vision? There was something…something 'different' about her. The words flowed from Sephier's lips, "She's special." Words also flowed through Sephier's mind like an azure stream trailing down a protruding mountainside. In an instant, a certain fact appeared within the depths of the doctor's entwined thoughts, _how did she find the materia so quickly without knowing where it could be, unless she did know…? What does it all mean? There must be some connection between this woman and the materia._ He came up with theory, after theory; spending at least eighteen continuous, tedious hours in the library—thinking. His soul was restless and his eyes, tired. Just able to stand up, he made himself a new pot of strong coffee hoping the potency of its contents would keep him going for as long as he could master. He wanted to go home…

~oO0Oo~

  
        There was a gale blowing outside and a blizzard was settling in to occupy the rest of the night. Six days and it seemed a lifetime in the compound—well the most eventful occasion of his life to date anyway; he doubted it could get any worse—All of his doubts were shattered in the same instant as they had arose when he saw the same, shady figure that he saw in his visions; stationary in the centre of the vacant space the compound had to offer. _How did he get in here?_ Sephier's mind was instantly cast back to the moment of his expected arrival at the camp itself and the security officer, slumbering in his keep. There wasn't any sure certainty that he was awake even now, or any other officer that was stationed there. This figure seemed not affected by the raging weather as his tatty attire was not affected by the raging winds, nor was his body by the blistering cold. As if he were a cardboard cut-out cemented to the floor with no knowledge of touch or common sense for that matter—no one in their right mind would stay out in this weather at the intensity it was being thrown at them—Sealed in his own secluded world, he was looking towards the hut with the rest of the students and just staring at the window as if with some surreal fixation. In a fraction of a second, yet long enough for Sephier to lose his concentration, he had moved and jolted his head sideways to look in the direction of the doctor. As it was dark, Sephier could not see his face, his eyes or the menacing grimace painted seemingly painted on his face as an expression. The blizzard grew thicker and Sephier lost track of this mystery man; in some respects it was a godsend for him to be gone, yet in another for it to be worrying that he had just disappeared in time it took to blink. _Who was it? It was…him._

Sephier began to question the situation without figuring a way to obtain the vital answers. The blizzard lightened and Sephier tore himself from his work and seized his coat once again from the clutches of the coat stand. His pulse hastily rose and anticipation over-took his doubts in the race of emotions going on inside his futile mind as he went to investigate the source of the man's fixation with the student's hut. His footsteps across the floor made a profound echo throughout the hut that was picked up by Sephier's heightened senses as he made his was slowly to the door. He could almost taste the unruly stench of fear in the air. The only exit to the hut was stiff as a result to the breathtaking, deadly weather outside. An eerie creak sprung from the doorway as the opening of the door itself seemed to take a lifetime to accomplish; the wind embraced the door as it flung open showing the extreme force that nature could produce in a single gust of wind. Dr. Sephier stepped into the harsh wilderness as if into another world of fantasy—not fantasy, just the harsh reality.   
  
He practically stumbled all the way across to the hut on the opposite wall of the compound as nature somehow didn't want him to reach it and was trying to stop him, with Sephier's determination driving him forward. His trek was short, but against the elements, it was tiring—he hadn't expected the weather to be this bad, not so early on in winter. _Well nothing has been normal so far in my life so why should it start now?_ The distinct sound of the wind howling through the secluded alleyways between the huts, the snow constantly beating against the already-dilapidated-wreck of a garage in the corner, even the consolidated masses of snow drifts leaning against the wall—like the locals would do in the pub at home. _Everything reminds me of home_—made this night a memorable night. Fear clung to Sephier like a second skin as his trail of footprints, and their trails were gradually being filled in again by the heavy clumps of snow falling around him and an unsettled presence was detected, somehow, from the hut he was approaching. Something was holding him back—the same thing that was pushing him forward…curiosity. He knew something wasn't right but he decided not to go with his gut feeling to turn back this time and let it blow over his head. Dr. Sephier stood cautiously outside the hut and took a long, deep breath to steady his jittery nerves. He spread out his arm to open the door and as soon as he touched the handle his arm dropped and a sharp, stabbing pain trailed from his hand as he realised that the handle was red hot. Blisters started to appear on Sephier's hand, but not even these ruptures in his skin would stop him. Taking the handle again, he ignored the pain and opened the door…they were all dead. All apart from Alicia…  
  
Sephier folded and collapsed on the floor—he'd been doing that a lot lately. Obsidian darkness had fallen on these young souls. Brutally murdered, they lay there, silent. The silence seemed all too loud at the doctor stared at the mass of torn flesh and pools of blood. He could hear the screams of the people when hey died—their anguish, their pain, their despair, all-amounting to nothing. The bodies were just slumped everywhere and limbs had been torn clean off from the innocent men—or were they innocent? _No…_Alicia stood there giving a vague look at Sephier expecting him to know what was going on. _NO! This can't be happening, not again…what have I done?_ "Sir…" The stench of rotting flesh filled the room like the bodies had been there for days, not hours. The decay set in and in the next instant they were gone. All the blood, sinew, and even the anguish had gone. The hut was once again pure, but the memories of it were clouded in guilt and betrayal. Something had happened here that reckoned the forces beyond nature to act in such a twisted way.   
  
"Sir…why?" Her innocent eyes reminded Sephier of Tina back home as her question rattled his mind as to try and unlock an answer to which he did not bear the key. "Alicia…I don't know why, I doubt I ever will, but you are the one now with all the answers…what is going on?" Rage filled his eyes, as he couldn't stop staring at where the bodies were sprawled on the floor.  
  
"Sir…" _What can she say…she doesn't know anything about this…stop being the bitter man you used to be and give her a break. Get a grip Jules. Get a grip._ "…I don't know." The tears rolled down her cheek and left a trail of sorrow where they lay—_ Tears…one thing I haven't seen in a while._ Sephier approached the broken girl and tightly embraced her against his chest. She could hear his heart rythmetically pounding in his chest, as could the doctor himself. Mixed emotions hung around the room battling with each other to see which one would triumph; fear would always come out on top. Dr. Sephier looked down at the sorry state of a girl he held in his arms…_ how old is she? 18? 19? And she's already seen her first tragedy._ As he stroked the golden locks of hair, comforting her, he couldn't help but feel some guilt about the scene she just saw. It seemed as if it was his entire fault that this mess had occurred—it was to some extent, but not as much as he should go blaming himself for everything. Alicia looked up at the doctor and wiped the tears from her delicate cheeks. Her face was pale and her breathing shallow, but the calming embrace with the doctor settled the fear somewhat lying in wait in the stomach. "The materia…" She mumbled, "…It's the materia that did it…" _I knew it!_ "It was glowing…" The ebony materia was lying in a box on the table with measuring equipment lying next to it. "Then he came and slaughtered them all where they stood; but not me…" The look had changed in Alicia's eyes as she broke away from Sephier's comforting hold, "…he looked at me and I felt as if…" _carry on,_ "…as if I knew him." A feeling sank in Sephier's stomach as he came to his senses about all of what was going on. "Alicia, I'm sorry to push you like this, but come back to the library with me…there is something I need to show you."  
"But shouldn't we call Mr. Jones first?"  
"Bernard? No, I don't want to bother him. He's spending time with his family…" Both of them at the time wanted to do the same but they couldn't. Not now.   
"The let's go." Alicia nodded her head towards the door and the expression on her face was somewhat a mystery—unlike Sephier's, a cold fear surrounded his thoughts. She seemed as if nothing had just happened, and everything was fine.   
  
As they proceeded through the door and back to the library that was easier to reach than the grief-stricken abode they had just left, all emotions and feeling had left the pair of watchful scientists as the walked across the icy landscape. The door to the library was once again opened as the heavy footsteps of Sephier and the student stepped inside. The rows and rows of books were all too familiar with Sephier with him not actually having to read any. He knew it all, already. The history book was still lying on the desk as he pointed out the author to the girl he had just befriended. "Yes, that's him…my Grandfather. He was in Midgar at the time of the Meteor but shortly passed away from old age after he wrote this book all about it."  
"Then your Grandfather was actually there?" The sceptical, questioning side to Sephier was beginning to show.  
"Yes." Alicia didn't mind all the questions, because she had all the answers and practically knew what he was going to ask anyway. "There was something about my Grandfather though, he was a family friend to the Jones family, they saw us as a part of their own family if anything. That is how Bernard and myself got acquainted and it's also how he got all his information for the book…" There wasn't much time to waste with all the small talk so Sephier got cracking on with all the questions to get to the root of the information this girl had to offer.  
  
Morning came to the compound and Sephier was found with his back against the hut wall and a very peaceful girl curled up on his lap—_ at least we managed to get some sleep._ The events of the previous night were still active within the mind of the young girl as she lay sleeping. Restless nights were ahead, there was no doubt of that, but it would soon be over which is some consolidation to what she had to go through. Dr. Sephier lifted her feather-light body from his lap and gently placed her down on the floor so she could get as much rest as she could without being disturbed. He strolled into the bathroom and gazed once again at the freak leering back at him the mirror. A crash was heard from across the compound and a piercing scream from the girl in the corner. Sephier rushed in to see what was going on and Alicia staggered away from the hut window and fainted into Sephier's arms. As he looked out of the window, the research hut was desecrated into a pile of rubble and all that moved was the same figure that had done the un-earthly deed last night, carrying the Black Materia within his hand. With one last look, Sephier let out a faint mumble as everything came into place. "Sephiroth…" _that is why he didn't attack Alicia… 'A family friend of the Jones family, they saw us as a part of their own family if anything…' those were her very words. It all comes into place now. Sephiroth was Hojo's son…he wouldn't want to kill a member of his own family 'circle'. She's safe. She's the only defence we have now he's got the materia back…we need help._

****


End file.
